Family planner

 

This is part one of a 3 part blog series where I will talk about the importance of having your own Family planner (Emergency binder) and how to set one up.

I will also tell you why I have one and why you should consider making your own.

The reason behind the why

 

My husband is a farmer who helps other farmers who have hurt themselves.

Most of the time they have had to be rushed into hospital because they have done something silly like falling off a tractor. You wouldn’t believe how often that happens!

What happens to the Farm when the husband is rushed into hospital?

Lucky for them, my husband comes and takes over. One less thing for the poor wife to worry about.

Now-a-days just because you are married to a farmer doesn’t mean you also work on the farm and know where everything is. She doesn’t always know the ins and outs of her farm.
A farm planner would be helpful but that’s a whole different blog post.

Here is something to think about if you live on your own. Just say you fall ill and you need to send a friend into your house to get your Family Planner. In there you will have all your contact information, medical information and lot’s more.

What happens if something should happen to us mums?

 

Not saying we have to go to hospital, but let’s imagine we want to spend some time away with our friends.

Let’s just say we are going away for the weekend, or even a week.

I know a horror story right?

But why should it be?

That’s where a Family Planner comes into play.

In this Family Planner we have everything that a husband alone with the kids should have and much more.

My Family Planner

 

 

Just a simple 2 ringed A5 binder from staples. The binder has an inside pocket and a back pocket, It also has a nice pocket at the front to put a family photo or just a title of the planner so that every family member can find it.

Just imagine

your at the airport with your friends and just before you step onto the plane, you get your first phone call from hubby.

“Hunny where are the kids….vaccination passes I can’t find them?”

I know, you have no idea why he would want them, all the kids have had their shots.

His mother came by and found him home alone with the kids.

I bet she said something like this.

“How could she leave you alone. Has she left you the kids vaccination passes??? ”

He had no idea so he just had to phone you and ask.

You do know that she was only worried about her grandchildren. Of course a wee bit envious because she was never able to take a week off with her friends back in her day.

This is where you shine!

 

You have everything the family need in one place.
This is what you say.

“Hello Dear. It’s nice to hear from you so soon. You will find everything you need in our Family Planner. I left it in the kitchen next to the phone. You see it right. Good, anything else?”

Now how cool is that?
He can’t say anything, the mother in-law can’t say anything. Perfect. Good for you!

You know it’s not only for that reason, but the simple reason of organizing your life and making things a lot easier for yourself and your family members who have to cope a day or two without you..

Here are other examples for you

 

You are on the phone and let’s just say Little James would like to know what time he was born and how much he weighed at birth for a school project.

You can’t help him right at this moment but you are able to tell him where he can find the information.
In the Family Planner.

Big Sister is on her first school exchange and needs her passport a copy of her Birth certificate and her vaccination pass.
You know where all these things are, you don’t have to start searching for them.
They are in your Family planner under the tab or section Big Sister.

Another example could be the husband is on a business trip, or can’t be reached.

Something is wrong with the plumbing or electric.

In your Family Planner you would have the Mobile number of your trusty plumber or electrician.

For me, I will only call the firm H&G because I know they know where everything is on our farm.

Back in the day when I was a single mother, that phone number helped me out a lot.
I kept it even after I got married.
Lucky for me Hubby has the same people working for him as I had working for me.

We could go as far as writing down instructions on how to use the washing machine, but I will leave that one up to you. My hubby and son have been instructed on how to use said machine.

One other example which just happened the other day. I was at a friends house and hubby phones asking me where he could find our dog passes. The vet was on the Farm and she wanted to give them their shots. I knew where the Family Planner was and could navigate him to where it was kept and also where in the planner he would find them.

Do you have Elderly people living with you?

You could have all their doctors information in there, plus their medication and how they should take it.

All you have to do if you need to visit the doctor is take the Family Planner with your or only his or her information.

If their is an emergency you have phone numbers and medication all in one place and can give the right information freely.

If I were to fall ill and my husband needs to phone up the schools I work in, he knows where to find all phone numbers. For my home students there is a note in there telling him where he can find their numbers.

I would like to hear from you.

Do you have a Family Planner and how has it been your time and life saver?

What situation have you been in where a Family planner would have made your life much easier and finding the information a lot quicker?

Please leave your comments below. You never know when you might be helping someone down the road.

In the next blog post I will show you what’s inside my Family Planner.

Want to talk to like minded people? Then hop on over to our Facebook page to talk